A Twist of Betrayal

onths pregnant, Co

their moans growing louder and louder. They t

ght next door, listening to their breat

, be ge

be afraid of? S

as I stood outside the bedroom I shared with Collin, listeni

ning, completely unaware

all calmly, nu

man who once promised to treat me well for life,

d change, feel guilty

day, and he had the audacity to b

room, sneering, gently

d to be l

idn't know i

wnstairs step by step, and recalled

adness wash

go, everything had

n was still a man whose

overwhelming. He couldn't help but spin me around three time

sing my belly while kissing my hand, solemnly p

re, just like when

misunderstood him, "So you'll just be goo

could that be? You'll always be my baby, Estelle. Even

troublesome little kid, "Hey, little guy, I'm warning you. If y

his arms, warmth

ime mom, I thought I was the

otected me, a lovely son or daughter

ot that ol

are lifted, the

omething was off was when

ing sickness, and my emotions were unusually

hold me, guiding me through my

y softly, "If only I could take o

u can't get

ated regret, "Yeah, why can't

pointment, as if being pregnant was his li

. In fact, he was quite reserved, but he

sual, so I decided to read some

nt light appear

ling crept in

e, always asleep by ten. During my pregnancy,

over. He must have sensed my movem

es, glancing at

emojis and a few lines. Collin, usually so composed, lo

gh me. I couldn't hold back an

ng his phone away and looking at me

d, I turned o

e your

hiding it be

raight into his eyes. At that moment of h

him to unlock it. Once he did, a chat page wit

et me ex

im off, scrolling

of the messages were work-related, but recent

y, they even talked about me-just a brief mention. "Her name'

ovie. No flirtation, no suggestive comments. Just

hed my heart, and I felt nause

ce she's in my department, she added my WhatsApp to ask fo

sh can, gently patting my back

barely drank a sip of water, feeling slightl

d perfectly normal, n

for an employee, tw

favorite movie in the dead of night, sharing

y. I could feel it-my bab

ither we get rid of the baby

latter, embracing me joyfully a

again, "I swear, baby, I will never

ped

He didn't step out of bounds agai

er takeout to get by. Now, he prepped ingredients for all three of my meals eve

even small stuff like wiping t

ted to make up for it, or if he truly mea

he spoiled me like I was hel

lf, "Did I l

. Dee

him when he was still a broke nobody,

ed the basketball team-tall,

bumped into each other backstage

papers, and scoured every eatery in the university district

nd passion drew m

gave him all the money I'd saved from years of part-time jobs. I stayed up with him

im pitch to sponsors during the day, an

ddled under a thin blanket in the f

I make it big, I'll treat y

he d

rew into a real company. I didn't need

e it through t

tered a relationship, it c

otion didn't

s pregnant, he started pull

awdle forever. When I pressed him, he b

, and he'd mumble something vague while

t the phone down and half-heart

is eyes kept drifting to th

ped coming home on time. Someti

imes, but all I got wa

soothe me with, "Baby, I'm swamped.

ng on me during l

heart grew stro

a promise. He s

to tru

henever he came home, I greeted him with a smile, massaged his

o wait for him at home, to take car

. The gentle world he built

hattered the perfect lie

f pregnancy, my dear husband, the one who swore

a checkup at the hospital an

I picked it up and saw it wa

he early days of his startup, a sh

andful of people, I often pitched in.

would he

er of curiosity. Before I could s

ht is really important. Are yo

I asked,

y, sorry, I dialed

r his words. "Work's been hectic lately.

said Collin... he's p

nity slip. He thrived on expanding the bu

w what's gotten into Mr. Ellis lately. He's skipped several projects. He's dum

. did y

the phone. That uneasy feeling

He quickly backtracked. "Uh... if there's

sound steady. "Go ahead and t

not re

pe

I hated h

lmest tone he could muster, he revealed a secret that

ed, named Megan. Back then, everyone was swamped with work. No one had time to

Lazy Little Megan" from Co

rted to ma

is suddenly made Megan the design director. She'd only been here t

freeze. My hand shook harder

ut I felt like I'd fallen into a

't escape. I couldn't believe the Collin he describe

em, laughing and chatting when they return. Those women guessed Megan must've used some sly tricks to hook Mr. Ellis completely. I said no way. Mr. Ellis is so good to Estelle. He would

.. are yo

easy when I d

rs. But I don't get why he'd... Estelle, I shouldn't have said this. It's your

for a long time befo

Thank you... It's f

om the couch. My hands shook as I searche

more after that, but

es of Collin and me l

ng, first hug, first

my life belonged to Coll

ight when he pushed the snack cart

ss the university district's eaterie

arnest, heartfelt promises to tr

se his mind over some fr

to be fak

ve a single wo

n. Even when Collin came home l

e hotel Collin often booked. I pulled some family s

screen with another woman, I broke down.

etrayal felt like.

felt like a million poisone

led up on the couch, tormented

of me. He didn't even take off his shoes. He rush

clutched the checkup r

g, baby? Don

act, he seemed g

I met his frantic, innocent eyes and aske

unned, as if my que

? You're the one I love mo

hispered sweet words like always

oug

f I ever find out you don't love me anymor

ly, then broke free from his e

aknesses. I knew w

was his fin

behind the bedroom door. Then he turned, leaned on h

ing. Flies don't sw

his kindness felt forced. It carried a desperate edge, like he feare

ime, his kindne

rgave him again. But this time

es after he left for work. I wanted to see if

into her office under the pretense of checking

to keep me posted on Collin's e

on to something. Whenever I was there

s distance from her at the office

Collin told her to drop the files and

elief, but nause

t I knew Collin cared about his image. In front of colleagu

understood what

ee him as the good guy. That way, Collin knew he couldn't

ds, one

llin seemed to have cut

ght women wer

sed them. They cooked, cleaned the house, and managed the home. They burie

my crumbling family. I preserved digni

en find the allure of t

an't change

a business tr

rville. It'd take about

u company soon." He stocked the fridge with

appens, call m

ou off. Lizzie's off today anyw

y high schoo

nds

shot him a glance. He caught on quick, grabbed Collin's suitcase, and

Kevin's shoulder. "How abo

t off. "Nah,

re he left, we hugged and kissed,

ned away, muttering, "Can't watch, can'

a coffee shop we

wore 10cm heels and a tight, fiery red dress

d over like an unleashed horse

to stop her mid-pounce. She froze, then s

ou're carryin

fty-fifty. How're you

wanted a

could the kid not turn out amazing

and changed the subject. "Enough about that. You're dre

nt. "You nailed it. Your girl

u'd stay single forever?

short kid from high school? The on

e name, flipping through my

ll!" Lizzie rolled her eyes. "But that's not the point. The point is, h

ut? Could be a different

ad's our company's owner.

his to climb the ladder u

lipped through the old yearbook, saw he'd le

ead at her g

uy! I'm locking him down!" Lizzie sipped her coff

in advance, Mrs.

you're the wors

help stopping by baby stores. I'd browse the

ring them, babbling and reac

y that w

and had the clerk bag them. I planned to vid

offered to drop me home before h

e getting back. I'll t

y now. If anything happens, Collin will h

for your good news!" I brus

aking sure I'd be fine

g glowed b

city basked in the sunset's golde

ass, breathing in t

pulled out the baby clothes I'd bought, running my fin

ld my waist with the other. I cradled our child

the sunset. The light str

happiest fam

, a joyful smile spre

d my perfect vision, yan

as K

them into my bag. I answered the

vin, wha

urgent. "Estelle

thought was that someth

ght. I jumped in. "

nd it to you

ze in place. My gut screa

f dread

. It was a blurry video.

, I felt invisible h

le, Mr. Ellis br

d into an endless ab

you and Kev

, not a vacation. More peop

will you

long without you,

ough my mind like a movie

n lied to